About 3,000 ethnic Karens are estimated to have fled to Thailand since June when the Myanmar regime stepped up its battle against the Karen National Union, which has led a rebellion seeking independence in the eastern hills bordering Thailand, for the past 60 years. About 1,700 refugees are thought to still be in Thailand.


Earlier Friday morning, three Karen families were sent back by long tail boat before the suspension order came from the Defence Ministry in Bangkok.


Colonel Noppadon Watcharajitborworn, a Thai commander in the western Thai border town of Mae Sot, said the Defence Ministry in Bangkok had told his taskforce to suspend all repatriations.


Human rights groups have disputed Thailand´s claim of voluntary repatriation, saying the planned return to a landmine-infested area could only increase the incidents of harassment by Thai border patrol police and army rangers since late January.


Zoya Phan, a coordinator of London-based Burma Campaign said sending these refugees back to Myanmar was sending them back to possible death, slave labour or forced recruitment as soldiers.